NEW DELHI: On Tuesday, the Central government informed the Supreme Court that the division of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh was only a temporary measure and that J&K’s status as a Union Territory would eventually be reversed to that of a state in the future once things returned to normal.The Supreme Court asked how short-term this was and when J&K elections will be held. Tushar Mehta, the Solicitor General, retorted that steps were being made to accomplish the purpose. The Supreme Court also stated that it was inclined to accept Parliament’s determination that splitting J&K into two UTs was in the best interests of the country. However, the court has requested information from the Union administration regarding the estimated timetable for J&K’s restoration of statehood.”Restoring democracy is important,” it stated. A group of petitions contesting the repeal of Article 370 and the division of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories were being heard by a five-judge Supreme Court Constitution bench.
